Tuesday, 30 June 2015

It's that time of year again! Time to get out the knotted handkerchief, pick up the bucket and spade and head for the Seaside! Yes, this weekend, anyone passionate about Meccano will want to be in Skegness for the premier international Meccano event of the year - SkegEx 15!

To see the alternative side to this huge event, click on the image above. We will be blogging live from the show before, during and after the doors open. There will be plenty of images of the goings on, the people and the drama. We will show you all sorts of things related to the show that the usual internet coverage ignores. Yes we will show you the odd model that catches our eye, but there will be dozens of people posting model pictures on line and we will link to any of those as and when we discover them.

So stay tuned and come back to the live page throughout the event to keep up with what is happening. You can also join in with your ideas and requests by making a comment below.

Oh, I nearly forgot, I suspect our tame (at least I hope so) Meccanoid, Frank, the G15 KS is bound to make an appearance at some point in the proceedings....

Can I drive?

...NO! You can't drive - Get out of there and tuck your battery pack in!

Monday, 29 June 2015

I was tempted to start this post with a countdown, but I have used that recently...

Nice solid looking model

The first of the new autumn releases to get the once over is the new Space Quest15 model set. This set introduces three new parts to the system including the latest in a long line of nut-less fixings. Don't throw your hands up in horror, this one actually works and it is not used exclusively, rather as an additional part when it can prove to be useful.

New set, new box!

The most obvious new part is the new plastic moulded nose-cone. This has plenty of fixing holes and in addition it has 'nut retainers' moulded into the interior. This means parts can be fixed to it without having to get a spanner inside to hold the nuts.

Nose cone - I think we might see more of this piece...

The second new part is the plastic, flanged plate. This is a versatile new part that I think will be a mainstay of the future system. I know there will be people who will always dismiss plastic parts but hopefully parts like this will change your mind. The parts are designed to fit together neatly or be used individually. in this model they make the back of the launch tower.

I was not too keen on these bits but they are growing on me

The third new part is probably the most contentious, mainly because of the attempts to produce such a part in the past. This push in fixing is small simple and very effective it has taken a lot of work to get this just right. It will hold with just enough force to stop it falling out but is easy to remove. It is ideal for blind fixings as used here to secure the nose-cone to the body of the rocket. They also have another use, as you will see when we get around to talking about the Mountain Rally set.

The new plastic pins work surprisingly well

These are some of the first of the truly new parts to be designed and introduced by the Spin Master's design team and it is obvious that a lot of thought has gone into them. For years Meccano have been trying to make the system 'simpler' by doing away with nuts and bolts, or just the nuts, as they tried with the Xtreme sets of a few years ago. The new push-in pins have been introduced for a purpose and are intended to complement the existing fixings, not replace them.

This, and the other new models to follow, are so new we have not had time to build anything other than the box-art model. But I am sure we will be finding some alternative models to build with the parts in the near future! That aside, the model builds very easily and quickly from the instructions and, as far as I could see, there were no mistakes or anomalies in the assembly sequence of this model.

Ready for blast off!

The model is good and solid when finished. Plenty of play-value is included, the tower retracts by way of a hinge and the nose cone is easily separated from the rocket, by removing the aforementioned pins. This is a nice set with a good selection of classic and new parts. If you like white Meccano, there are a few bits here to stock up your collection and if, like us, it is the zinc you crave, you will not be disappointed.

Sunday, 28 June 2015

Ralph has already looked at the orange 4 x 4 Off-roader HERE. That set has now been re-boxed so the only thing add here is a picture of the up-to-date packaging.

The new box for the Canyon Crawler

In
a quirk of branding, a remote control car was also released under the
Evolution banner. This has also been re boxed and will be reissued in
the new style packaging. Again the two sets are identical. All the radio
control sets that have gone before, with maybe the exception of the
Rabbids Police Car, have been fairly complicated to build. In the past
the body has been formed by bending and forcing flexible plates into all
sorts of extreme positions. None of that with this set.

New and old boxes for the same model

The buggy style car is simple and minimalist making
it fairly easy to assemble once it is realised that the art is to
lightly tighten all the bolts until it is time to assemble the 'body'
with the chassis. Once the two are fixed together all the other joints
in the body can be tightened.

Easy and quick to build - Tick!

There were no problems with the instructions other
than the rear spoiler in the kit is supplied and listed in the parts
list finished in zinc. The box art shows the spoiler in red. This means
the sticker supplied to decorate it allows zinc finish to show through
where it should be red. The other niggle is the sticker itself is not
cut correctly meaning that the bolt holes used to secure it to the car
are partially obscured. The result of this is that the spoiler has to be
removed before the sticker can be applied and the holes cleared to
allow the bolts to be refitted.

The spoiler blade should have been red!

That aside this is a super little toy, intended for
the kids, that can be built with a minimum of fuss. I am sure a lot of
the older cars just never got built. I feel sure that most of these
will. This is not a set that has any appeal to us builders. There are
few parts of any great use that cannot be acquired from other sets more
cheaply. Personally, although not of great parts value, this is perfect
for the toy market. Any reasonably competent youngster would be able to
build this car and there is nothing critical about the build, nothing to
foul the wheels if the build is not just right and nothing that looks
wrong if it is not perfectly aligned.

Saturday, 27 June 2015

Back in January we reported on the new 3 model Multimodels set - See HERE. This was the first of the new sets to incorporate the redesigned tools. Shortly after that The new 5 and 10 model sets appeared along with the two new Evolution sets, the radio control car and the orange 4 x 4. We did get around to publishing our thoughts on the 4 x 4 (HERE) before life got in the way and we took a short break.

Well, what a time to sit on our hands! Now Meccano have rolled out the new packaging for not only the new models but all the earlier releases have been repackaged and will appear in the shops with the new models due to be released over the next few months. Although these are essentially the same models they are now manufactured in China and have newly designed manuals with new corporate design front covers to fit in with the Meccano Maker System image.

Chinese bolt on the left, French bolt on the right

The only obvious difference I have noticed so far, is the black parts in the original Air Force (10 model set) are now gloss and not matt. Incidentally, it is easy to tell the difference between the French and Chinese production set by the type of bolts used. The Chinese production models are supplied with the flat-top bolts and the French produced models have a slightly domed look to the head. Both bolts are cheese-head in profile. We prefer the Chinese pattern and try to use those in preference. From a cosmetic viewpoint, it looks so much better to use bolts of similar style, especially on smaller models. Now, you may think we are stark raving bonkers, but we separate the different styles when we are sorting out stock of standard length bolts. We have not bothered to separate out the longer bolts as they are easier to sort during a build as they are not usually used in the same quantities - we are not that nuts!

To save repartition, we will talk about the new re-issued sets and where it applies we will show the earlier packaging so you know what to look out for. I suspect the old packing will be around for a while yet.

Construction Crew - 5 Model Set

The 5 model set is the first one to look at. Originally issued in the Multimodels range earlier in the year, it is about to be reissued in the new packing as the Construction Crew set. The box art of both boxes carries imagery of the loading shovel. This nice little model looks the part even if the 'shovel' does not lift. One of the four other models is a dumper truck. This model is a revamp of the M&S special edition set for Christmas 2010, see HERE. The original model has a special part formed to represent the tipping body. The current model has the tipper body made up from standard parts.

Old and new design of packaging - same set.

The models we have made up have gone together easily from the instructions, which are clear and concise. For a small set it offers plenty of play value and encouragement to buy more than one set. The themed sets idea is harping back to a time in the 1960s when the black/yellow/silver, progressive numbered sets, were each given a theme and an appropriate name. The No.3 set was given the name Highway Vehicles and I always liked that set (in all its reincarnations) as it made vehicles that were recognisable at the time. Today the models that could be made with that old set and, the others of the period, look very dated. The new construction set follows a similar idea and all the models are recognisable today as the sort of thing you will see while out and about in the normal course of events.

The box art model looks the part.

It is amazing what box-art can do for a model. The original box really did not inspire me to build this model as, to me, it looked rather simplistic. However, the same model photographed from a lower angle and dropped into a realistic background transforms look and appeal of the model greatly.

The new Chunky dumper truck from the Construction crew

The tipper truck makes up very easily and has plenty of play value with a tipping body and it's chunky wheels. here again, old meets new with the modern reversible wheel centres used in the recent Evolution sets being married up with the existing tyres originally designed to fit the 1 inch pulleys, metal or plastic.

The 2010 Christmas offering from M&S

The small tipper originally appeared back in 2010 as an M&S
branded, limited edition. That model had a new bent part that was used to represent the tipper body. That part has not been used since and to this day, that short-lived little set remains the only source. The new model with its redesigned tipper body
and larger chunky wheels looks more like the big heavy dump trucks used
in open cast mines, than the road legal, American-esque design of the
M&S variant. The wheel hubs can be reversed to give that deep inset hub so often seen on the rear axle(s) of heavy vehicles, used the other way around, they give the opposite look, often seen on the front wheels. The small gripper collars, that so often caused problems in the past, have plenty of axle length to grip on making them far less likely to work loose and although not the prefect solution they do grip a lot better on these round axles.

Going up!

Now if there is one thing Sue would dread, it was if we had need to use an elevated platform. In our previous working life we could find ourselves faced with having to use one to access an out of reach area that needed signing. She hates them and I can understand that as they do wobble a bit even at low levels. So I thought it only fair that I tackled the model that can be made with this set.

A very simple little model that although it does not work, due to the lack of nyloc-type nuts in this set, it is instantly recognisable as to what it is. It goes together well and providing the wheels are fitted to the axles the correct way around, it runs freely. One side of the wheel hub's rim protrudes past the tyre and this side has to bear on the sides of the vehicle to prevent the rubber tyre binding.

Flight Adventure - 10 Model Set

The third of the earlier releases to be re boxed for the relaunch. The set first appeared with a rather smart looking fighter jet adorning the front of the box. On the new box, the fighter is still evident in the background but the main image is that of a futuristic stealth bomber or flying wing.

Change of box art model, but still the same set

The jet makes up to a really solid model that uses all the parts in the box. There are no new parts in this set but again the use of older parts in conjunction with modern parts is evident. The triangular flat plates have made a comeback after a long absence from the range. The use of the small Driving Dog, designed to be used to prevent wheels and plastic mini strips from rotating on tri-axles, as the cowl of a jet engine is perfect at this scale.

I bet you didn't see that one coming!

The black colouring and the angular parts help make the stealth bomber instantly recognisable and maybe one of the reasons for changing the box art for the new packaging. The model uses fewer parts than the jet fighter but goes together easily with little effort. The finished model is soild and although not modelled on any particular prototype captures the essence of the prototype.

Friday, 26 June 2015

Sometimes, when there is so much innovation going on around a new product, or in this case the rebirth of a brand, it is very easy to miss the less glamorous tweaks and improvements. Yes, we all want to see the new and exciting stuff, new models, the introduction of new parts and the improvement of supply, but all this can fall down at the end of the day with something as simple as the box it is presented in.

Old and new box designs - not just the graphics...

The visual impact of the new design is one thing, as good as it is, it can only work correctly if the box itself is engineered properly and fit for purpose. The boxes that have been used in recent times have come under a lot of criticism for not being very suitable as storage for the parts after opening. Some of the older thin card boxes had brown cardboard inserts that were full of slots and gaps for parts to get lost in. In more recent times the awful rip open boxes were a little better but just looked awful and were not at all secure with the front 'flap' being too narrow to be effective at holding parts in, or closing the box. The act of ripping the tear-strip off feels like an act of vandalism and it seldom comes away cleanly.

Ripping the old box open

The new boxes have a very much nicer way of opening. The flap that was glued down with a tear-strip is now one solid piece and reshaped so that it will tuck in neatly secure the box, once the clear tape that holds it closed is cut. The new boxes appear to be cut from similar material to that used for the old ones but the creases are made deeper to allow the top to lay flat when closed. This will minimise the risk of small parts 'leaking' from the closed box. Inside the new boxes the corners are joined in such a way to prevent small parts getting lost behind them. Whoever designed these boxes has really thought about their projected life as a storage box for the set.

The old box (on the right) gapes open and looks tatty. Not so for the new box

When open the new box looks as if it can be reused as it has suffered no damage whatsoever. The old box looks like it is only fit for the bin. The new box, on the other hand, not only looks in much better condition, but the front facing panel, that will be exposed when the flap is tucked in, can be used to label the contents as it is unprinted white card - smart move!

The new box looks as if it will be more useful than the old

Well done Meccano! We have been disappointed with the old boxes for a long time. Although this is not a return to the days of segmented boxes, this really is a big step in the right direction.

Jet lagged and grumpy, Meccanoid G15 KS has arrived, partially dismantled and in need of some power he is looking rather forlorn surrounded in packing material. Ten minutes on the bench and he is up and running, with a bit of a shock - He has an English Accent for the UK market! He is also sporting the final release colours. You may have noticed that in the various pictures and videos we have shown, he appears dressed in different colours. This, I am assured, is the production colour scheme.

This is the G15 KS as he will appear here in the UK

This is the first non-retouched photograph that I have been able to publish as this one is of the Meccanoid we received yesterday. I can see why all the press photographs have been so highly airbrushed! We have set him going and tried out the basics without any eternal input. He has a fair sized repertoire of pre loaded programming including some of the worst jokes you have ever heard! I am sure the kids will love them. If you don't laugh, he gets upset saying thing like "Oh well, try another" or "I guarantee you will laugh at this one" If you do laugh he joins in with the excitement.

At 4ft tall he is impressive and really is KS (Kid-Size). Once we have had a chance to get to know him a bit better we will show you some more. If you want to see him in person, he will be making a three-day appearance at SkegEx 15 next weekend, 3rd-5th July. More details and our live SkegEx 15 bolg can be found HERE.

Wednesday, 17 June 2015

Thunderbirds are GO!

One of the best kept secrets of the year can now be revealed. Meccano have a new licensed product and this time everybody will recognise the name. No obscure animals or computer game heroes. Thunderbirds must have been one of the most popular children's programmes to emerge fron the Gerry Anderson studio. As a kid I remember watching it and trying to spot parts from Airfix kits that had been used to build the models and scenery. So here is a first look at the box for Thunderbird 2 along with the Mole, one of International Rescue's most famous duo's. Even I have not got my hands on a set of parts yet but the box landed on the doorstep earlier today along with a lot of other new models that I will show you over the next few days.

Several prototypes were built of this model in its various reincarnations that have appeared over the years. The final model design was subject to the licensor's final approval and this is it. Trying to keep this sort of thing quiet is a real nightmare. Somehow, apart from a couple of press photographs that promoted a few awkward questions, the lid was kept on this one. One of the prototypes was smuggled in to the London Toy Fair and kept under lock and key only being shown to selective retail buyers. Now for the first time I have been given permission to post these pictures of the box.

Click on either picture to enlarge

I will give you more information as I get it but for now, take a look at the pictures and be happy that Meccano have been able to secure a household name that mums and dads, as well as children, will recognise...

Tuesday, 16 June 2015

It is that time of year again. The whole Meccano world is gearing up to the biggest event on the show calendar. Meccano nuts from all around the world will be converging on the Embassy Theatre, Grand Parade, Skegness for the annual show organised by the North Midlands Meccano Guild (NMMG). Sue and I, along with the unpaid 'hired' help, will attempt to bring you all the latest news as it happens. We will be reporting on all aspects of the show from behind the scenes as well as bringing you pictures of the models that catch our eye. The aim is to show you the bits you don't usually see, and some of the more light-hearted moments. Nobody will be safe from the lens so if you see one of us coming you will have two choices - smile or run!

It is all meant to be a bit of fun and we had no complaints last year, If you say don't use that picture or "don't photograph me" we won't. But don't complain afterwards if everybody else gets on the blog and you miss out!

_

A version of the banner above will be posted in the right-hand column of the website and blog (so if you are reading this on a smartphone or tablet, switch to 'web view') and it will act as the update link. You can just bookmark the page that is displayed HERE, where you will find a holding page until the live coverage starts. All this is subject to getting a suitable connection during the day and last year that did prove problematic. A year on we have eight times the capacity to connect via the mobile phone network so, assuming we can find a signal, we can use that. If all else fails we have a good connection at our B&B and we will post the updates then.

Sunday, 14 June 2015

As we get closer to SkegEx 15, the new sets are starting to appear on the internet. This is good news as we get to see the beginning of what is going to become the new range of sets. However, be very careful about ordering from these early birds as some of the prices being quoited are far in excess of the expected selling price. These models are not due for release immediately and none of the retailers, at the date of writing, are showing any stock at all yet.

But just to get a taste of what is going to be available here are some of the models we can expect to see in the shops very soon. We are expecting to receive some advance samples and prototypes here at Laughton Towers this week. As soon as we do we will post some of our own pictures and observations. We hope to be able to bring lots of new product to SkegEx at the beginning of July.

For now here are some of Meccano's official media pictures of the new models and the all new packaging. The first image is of the new Tower Crane. This set is packed with features including three geared motors and a programmable controller. Several changes have been made to this model since we first saw it at the London Toy fair back in January. The new battery boxes have been enlarged and reworked so the batteries can be replaced easier, The controller is evident in the background and the new thrust bearing parts now appear to be finished in black.

Look Mum, it's a crane -Click on the image to enlarge it!

Now, looking at the other end of the scale the single models have changed slightly with a couple of new models. The first is interesting as it incorporates the re-introduction of the small ' rubber' ring, intended to fit the ½ inch pulley.

A mini Chopper but look at the front tyre...

As well as the Chopper the Quad Bike is also added to the range - it seems the tractor has disappeared from the range, although the group picture shows five models and these are usually sold in sets of four...Hmmm...

The over re-touched quad bike

The picture of the quad bike is so over re-touched that it looks more like an illustration but I assure you it exists, I saw it at the Toy Fair back in January. Of all the models we like this one the best and are please to see it introduced to the range.

No Tractor but this picture shows five...

...and there are five models in the shop display unit

We like these little pocket-money models. The all zinc parts idea is rather appealing, just like the Nano kits of a few years ago. They are also useful for their small parts, especially those small tyres and formed plates. The availability of modern zinc parts is most welcome, but we might be bias.

A feast of zinc ¼ inch geometry parts

The new Eiffel Tower looks interesting. Even more zinc parts available on the High Street! This set, along with the already available Tower bridge set, will certainly find favour among the new part fans. It also looks like it would keep the builder busy for a few hours! The new Empire State Building is a new version of the old 'Landmarks' series model. This time the main infill is made from flexible plates instead of the sought-after flat girders. A shame, but the original model has been reintroduced recently, and if you particularly want one get in quick as I can't see them lasting too long now there is a new kid on the block!

The re-worked Empire State Building

Getting back to the less 'exotic', but none the less interesting sets, there are some more offerings in the style of the old Multimodels sets. The New sets that were released in the spring of this year have been re-boxed and a 15, 20 and 25 model set have been introduced to compliment the others. It is interesting that the box-art for the 10 model set has also changed from the jet fighter to the flying wing.

All the new sets will carry the new box design. The segregation between Multimodels and Evolution has gone as can be seen, by the re-boxing of the old Evolution 4x4 set, below.

Lots of new and exciting models are shown on the boxes and there are some new parts, notably the new cone shape in the Space Quest set and there is a Meccanoid-looking plastic flanged part also included in the space set and Mountain Rally set. New wheels and tyres look interesting.

We all know about Meccanoid G15 KS and his little mate the G15 but now we get to see the box, at least for the little guy, for the first time.

There are lots more images starting to appear on-line from various retailers and I am sure more will appear over the coming weeks. All the pictures in this post are Meccano publicity shots. most of the model shots have been enhanced to be used as box-art and can look a bit false. as soon as we get hands on the real thing - hopefully within the next few days, we will photograph them here and show you them first hand. There are more models to show like the attack helicopter, but I will wait until we get the models in our hands...

Tuesday, 9 June 2015

Last year we made several small models from one of the new sets. At the shows we attended, and the events the club attended taking the kits with them, the kids loved them and the fact that they can be made quickly and easily gives that initial sense of achievement that spurs most kids to have a go at something bigger.

This year we have used the Evolution 4x4 set as a basis and come up with some more very simple models. First there is a biplane that uses just two nuts and bolts!

Two bolts, one aeroplane

Then there is the bug, designed to scare your little sister. This used the mechanical parts for their visual effect rather than their intended use, something Meccano have done since the very beginning.

Does it bite?

Any form of humanoid is also popular. Lego have capitalised on this fact with their miniature figures that you see all over the place and not only associated with the product. Our Skier has rather different connotations for me. It reminds me of the skier in the pre-war X-Series manual. The model on the right was built by Tony Brown and I have spent the past couple of years teasing him about the look of those models with all those holes! Still, at least our models is not ugly! I suppose Tony can now get his own back as the modern parts have the same ¼ inch hole spacing as the the X-Series parts.

The modern wobbly skier - a slimmed down version

As last year we will probably build a few more models from this set as the year goes on. It is possible to build all three of these models from one set and still have plenty left over for a few more!

All three models were built from parts included in the Evolution 4x4 set, pictured below.

Monday, 8 June 2015

After our short break we are back on the Meccano trail again. I have lots of stuff to share with you over the next few days but let me start with my first model built from the contents of our pre-war set No.6 (See HERE). Last year I built a version of this model using a selection of more modern parts and built in our favoured colour scheme of zinc and light red. This time it seemed fitting to compliment the 1929 steam engine with parts from the same era.

The parts are all play-worn but not abused. All we have done is to clean the parts by washing them in soapy water and buffing off with a rag. The nuts and bolts with the set were very tatty and although we cleaned them up with rust remover they are still rather shabby. As luck would have it, we had some much better examples that sue had inherited from her father that were in much better condition so we have used some of those on this model.

The pair of wagons are built identically but using parts from different eras

The two wagons look totally different even though there is no difference in the parts used. It is interesting that using the older parts gives a more uniform look to the model as all the bodywork parts are of the same colour.

Moving out...

Both wagons run well in a straight line, however the modern one struggles a bit around corners, on a smooth surface, as there is no differential on the rear drive axle and the modern tyres grip a little too well. No such problem with the contemporary model. Not only are those old rubber tyres hard and brittle at room temperature but where that have been refitted to the rims in hot water that have expanded slightly and can slip on the rims!